Sydney FC secure 2-2 draw against Perth Glory

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PERTH Glory coach Ian Ferguson is refusing to panic despite his side being held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Sydney FC at nib Stadium last night.

Marquee striker Shane Smeltz broke a three-game goal drought, but Glory failed to capitalise on his return to form.

Smeltz twice found the back of the net, but both of his strikes were cancelled out by a brilliant set piece orchestrated by Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero and a goalkeeping howler from Danny Vukovic.

It was a disappointing result for Glory, which is now in danger of dropping out of the A-League’s top six unless the Ferguson and his men can recapture the form that took them to last season’s grand final.

Ferguson was disappointed not to have collected the full three points, but said there were still plenty of chances for his team to seal a finals berth.

“We’re still in the race,” a surprisingly upbeat Ferguson said after the match. “There’s a long way to go and still a lot of points to be won and lost.

“Everybody’s beating everybody and, as you can see, there’s no easy games in the A-League.”

The night belonged to marquee pair Smeltz and Del Piero and it was the New Zealand international who struck the first blow.

Smeltz pounced on a brilliant cross from teammate Josh Risdon in the 39th minute to put the home side up at the main break after a dominant first half.

It could have been more if not for some outstanding work from Sky Blues goalkeeper Vedran Janjetkovic.

Glory dominated the match and should have taken the three points, but the last-placed Sydneysiders under new coach Frank Farina were not to be denied.

Former Socceroo Jason Culina made it 1-1 in the 63rd minute when he found himself on the end of a beautifully weighted cross from captain Brett Emerton, immediately after Del Piero had worked his magic to win the ball.

It was Culina’s first goal since returning from a serious knee injury that sidelined him for almost two years.

The goal sparked Sydney into action and Glory’s shape began to fall away under the pressure.

Enter Smeltz, who had scored just two goals this season before last night’s match, to live up to his marquee status.

Smeltz put Glory ahead in the 80th minute, but all celebrations were short-lived when Sebastian Ryall knocked the ball into the back of the net after it spilled from Vukovic’s gloves.

Last night’s draw meant Glory has collected just two points from its past there games, which include a tight 1-0 loss to Central Coast and a frustrating 1-1 draw against the Western Sydney Wanderers.

“It’s frustrating because (last night) we got ourselves in a great position to go 2-1 up,” Ferguson said. “It’s always disappointing not to take three points at home, as much as the dominance was, but credit to Sydney, they came in the second half and caused us a problems.

“We lost our structure and our shape and our discipline. We had some areas were we could have hurt them, but we didn’t.”

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